Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Name These Countries From an Outline in 7 Minutes?

Jacqueline Samaroo

Image: courtneyk/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Ready to stand out? These countries already do - thanks to their easy-to-recognize shapes!

With their distinctive outlines, you can spot some countries in a heartbeat anywhere you see them, without the need for the context of a map. For instance, it should be no trouble at all naming the boot-shaped country sticking out into the Mediterranean Sea and the alligator-shaped one in the Caribbean Sea. Most people will get those right in a jiffy!

There are countries which have such a unique shape that you would be hard-pressed to find another one which looks anything like them. That country on the tip of the Horn of Africa comes to mind. Likewise, the southernmost country in North America has a rather distinctive shape, so too does the one which covers almost half of South America. We'll show them to you - you just have to name them!

Identifying some countries from their outlines can be a bit of a challenge. That's because when you take them off the map, out of their geographical location, there are countries whose shapes you could easily mistake one for the other. Good examples are the long, thin country on South America's Pacific coast and that similarly thin, S-shaped one on the Southeast Asian coast. Can you tell them apart just by their outlines? Better shape up, because they are both in this quiz!

Geography buffs will have this one beat in well under the time limit! How will you do? Take the quiz and find out!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the European country whose outline is shown here?

United Kingdom

Cuba

Sri Lanka

Madagascar

The United Kingdom is also commonly referred to as Great Britain, though this term refers only to the island containing England, Scotland and Wales. Great Britain is the third-most populous island in the world.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which Mediterranean country this outline belongs to?

Vietnam

Israel

Italy

Australia

Italy’s boot-shaped outline is perhaps one of the most distinctive on the globe! Italy is considered one of the culinary capitals of the world, and Italians claim to have invented coffee, fruit pie and french fries. Belgium and France, however, also claim to have invented french fries!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which very large Asian country has this outline?

Spain

Greenland

Greece

China

China is well-known for being the world most populous nation, with a population of roughly 1.4 billion. China is large in area too, though! It’s the second-largest country in Asia, after Russia, whether or not you count the portion of Russia located in Europe.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the South American country with this outline?

Portugal

France

Venezuela

South Korea

Located in South America, Venezuela is home to one of the world’s largest national parks: Canaima National Park. This is unsurprising, considering that the country is well-known for its high biodiversity.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the country with this outline?

Guyana

India

Panama

Brazil

Did you know that the traditional Hindu calendar in India has six seasons? These are spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, prewinter and winter. Each lasts for roughly two months.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which North American country has an outline like this?

Poland

Turkey

Chile

United States of America

The U.S.A. is the third largest country in the world, with a total area of 3.8 million square miles. It’s only a bit smaller than the entire continent of Europe, which totals 3.9 million square miles.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which of these countries has an outline like this?

United Kingdom

Germany

Japan

Trinidad and Tobago

Nicknamed “The Land of Poets and Thinkers” (in German: “Das Land der Dichter und Denker”), Germany is the birthplace of many intellectuals and creative minds. Musicians Beethoven and Bach, writer Goethe and philosopher Nietzsche are just a few!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the island country with this outline?

Sri Lanka

Canada

Argentina

South Africa

Thanks to its shape and location, Sri Lanka is often referred to by the nicknames “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” and “Teardrop of India.” Its other nickname, “Land of Serendipity,” is taken from the Sanskrit word for the island: Sarandīb.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the African country which matches this outline?

Pakistan

Russia

Mexico

Somalia

Two official languages are recognized in Somalia – Somali and Arabic. The country forms the tip of the Horn of Africa and has the longest coastline of any country on mainland Africa.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you spot the South American country with an outline like this?

Madagascar

Mexico

Greece

Chile

The northern end of Chile is occupied by the Atacama Desert – the driest nonpolar place on Earth. The desert is sheltered from rain by two mountain ranges: the Chilean Coastal Range on the side toward the Pacific Ocean and the Andes on the inland side.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which Southeast Asian country does this outline belong to?

Trinidad and Tobago

Vietnam

Spain

Brazil

The S-shaped country of Vietnam is the world’s largest producer of cashew nuts and is also a large producer of coffee. The mountainous forests between Vietnam and Laos are home to the Saola, a relative of goats, antelopes and cattle. The Saola, sometimes called the Asian unicorn, was first discovered in 1992 and is considered to be one of the rarest animals known to man.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the country on the Iberian Peninsula with this outline?

Portugal

Turkey

Philippines

Indonesia

Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula. The University of Coimbra in west-central Portugal was established in 1290 and has been in continuous operation since then. It holds the distinction of being one of the world’s oldest functioning universities.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which neighbor of North Korea has an outline like this?

Egypt

Guyana

South Korea

New Zealand

South Korea occupies the lower half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Although the country is home to several ultra-modern, world-class cities, such as Seoul, approximately 64% of Korea is covered in forests.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which North American country’s outline is shown here?

Israel

Canada

China

South Africa

The Canada-U.S. border is called the International Border and – including Canada’s border with Alaska – is the longest border between two nations! Canada also holds the distinction of being the world's second-largest country.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know the Eastern European country whose outline is shown here?

Australia

United States of America

Poland

The Bahamas

Poland is home to the Białowieża Forest, one of the last remaining parts of the European Plain’s ancient forest. The European bison, the heaviest land animal in Europe, live in the Białowieża Forest.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you spot the Caribbean island which matches this outline?

Venezuela

Greenland

France

Cuba

Cuba’s outline looks very much like an alligator, and this has led to the country’s two nicknames. They are El Cocodrilo (the Spanish word for alligator) and El Caiman (the caiman is a relative of the alligator).

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which large South American country is outlined here?

Germany

Pakistan

Brazil

Italy

The official language in Brazil is Portuguese, and in that language the country’s name is spelled Brasil. The capital is Brasilia, but the most populous city is Sao Paulo, which is, in fact, the 12th most populous city in the world.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which island country has an outline like this?

Indonesia

Argentina

Russia

Somalia

There are over 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, including more active volcanoes than in any other country. Over 18,000 islands make up Indonesia and some serve as home to the Komodo dragon – the largest lizard in the world. A fully grown Komodo dragon can weigh over 150 pounds!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which Iberian Peninsula country has this outline?

India

Japan

United Kingdom

Spain

During the Ice Age when most of Europe became uninhabitable, the Iberian Peninsula (containing Spain and Portugal) was one of the few refuges. That means Northern Europe was repopulated afterward mostly from Spain!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which transcontinental country’s outline is this?

Russia

South Africa

Cuba

Chile

Moscow, Russia’s capital, has consistently been listed as one of the top ten cities with the most billionaires! However, wealth inequality is an issue in the country. The poverty rate has been rising, from 10.7% in 2012 to 13.5% in 2016.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which European country this outline matches?

Canada

Philippines

Mexico

France

The Tour de France is one of the most popular cycling competitions in the world and has been held every year since 1903, except during World Wars I and II. Did you know that it was started by a French journalist as a way to promote his sports newspaper?

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name this Northern African country from its outline?

Portugal

Egypt

Pakistan

South Korea

Egypt is one of the few transcontinental countries in the world. While a very large portion of the country in located on the African continent, the area known as the Sinai Peninsula is located in Asia and is often referred to as a land bridge between the two continents.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the island continent which matches this outline?

Argentina

The Bahamas

Panama

Australia

Australia is the driest of the continents, excluding Antarctica. Over 70% of Australia is covered by desert regions, which are collectively known as the Outback.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which South American country has this outline?

Sri Lanka

Guyana

New Zealand

Turkey

Guyana is the only country on the continent of South America to have English as its official language. Furthermore, it is the only South American country which is also a Commonwealth state.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the island country this outline belongs to?

Japan

Chile

Greece

Sweden

Japan is made up of over 6,800 islands, but most of its area belongs to its four largest islands! In order of size, these are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you match this outline to its twin-island country?

Vietnam

Somalia

Trinidad and Tobago

United States of America

There are approximately 10 million tons of asphalt in Trinidad and Tobago’s Pitch Lake, which is located on the larger island of Trinidad. The Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt anywhere in the world. It spans close to 100 acres and is said to be close to 250 feet deep.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which transcontinental country has this outline?

Argentina

Poland

Turkey

Germany

Contrary to what some people might think, Turkey did not get its name from the bird! The nation’s name is most likely derived from “Turchia,” the name Italians historically used to refer to the Asian part of Turkey.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which of these is the matching country for this outline?

France

Greenland

Venezuela

Indonesia

Despite its name, 85% of Greenland is covered by snow and ice. While there are roads within the various towns, there are no roads between them. Long-distance travelling is done by boat, plane, helicopter, snowmobile and dogsled.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which country linking North and South America has this outline?

Cuba

Israel

Australia

Panama

The Panama Canal links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. France attempted to build the canal late in the 1800s but did not make much progress. The canal was finally built between 1904 and 1914 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. retained control of the canal up to 1999, when control was handed over to Panama.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the island nation whose outline looks like this?

New Zealand

China

The Bahamas

Portugal

Harbour Island, one of the 700 islands which make up The Bahamas, is well known for its pink sand beaches. The color comes from the reddish-pink shell of a tiny organism called Foraminifera, which either float in the water or live in the sand of the seafloor.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you say which gold-rich country has an outline like this?

Guyana

South Africa

Philippines

Germany

South Africa completely surrounds the country known as the Kingdom of Lesotho. San Marino and Vatican City are the only other two countries completely surrounded by another – both of them are surrounded by Italy.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the island country whose outline is shown here?

Italy

India

Panama

Madagascar

Madagascar, off the coast of East Africa, is the world’s fourth largest island. Only the islands of Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo are bigger, in that order.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the Central American country whose outline is pictured here?

United Kingdom

Indonesia

Mexico

South Korea

Mexico is officially known as the United Mexican States. It holds the distinction of being the Spanish-speaking country with the largest population – over 120 million. Apart from Spanish, however, 68 regional languages are officially recognized in Mexico.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which country in the Middle East matches this outline?

Sweden

Poland

Somalia

Israel

The city of Ashkelon is located on Israel’s Mediterranean coast. The Ashkelon National Park is the site of the largest known dog cemetery, which dates back to ancient times!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know which Mediterranean country this outline matches?

Vietnam

Greece

Trinidad and Tobago

The Bahamas

Greece has a population of 10.7 million, and every year roughly 16.5 million tourists visit the country. The nation's booming tourism industry is undoubtedly influenced by its rich history, evident in the fact that it is home to 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know the name of the island country which matches this outline?

Brazil

Venezuela

India

Philippines

The Philippines is made up of over 7, 600 islands, the largest of which is Luzon. Both Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and Quezon City, the country’s most populous city, are located on Luzon.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Do you know the country which borders India and has this outline?

Japan

Madagascar

Canada

Pakistan

Pakistan’s most populous city is Karachi, which was the country’s capital up to 1958. The capital was briefly switched to Rawalpindi until construction of the new capital city, Islamabad, was completed in 1967.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

What is the name of the Nordic country whose outline is shown here?

United States of America

Russia

Sweden

Vietnam

Sweden is one of the largest weapon producers in the world, but they haven’t been a part of any war in 200 years – not even the Cold War or two World Wars! The last wars the nation participated in were the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s.

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Which South American country does this outline match?

Argentina

China

Greenland

Sri Lanka

Pope Francis, the 266th and current pope (as of 2018), is from Argentina and used to work in a bar in Buenos Aires. He is the first non-European Pope since the 8th century, as well as the first one from the Americas!

bgblue/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

Can you name the island country this outline matches?

Italy

Spain

New Zealand

Egypt

Wellington in New Zealand is the most remote capital city in the world. The closest capital to it – Canberra, Australia – is more than 1,400 miles away! The city is also the world’s southernmost capital.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.